Open letter to a motorist,
I was returning home on a beautiful sunny day by bicycle after attending the Annual Island City Bike Tour when you almost ran me over in the crosswalk.
As you brushed perilously close by me doing a left turn on Westminster and No. 5 Road, you shouted out of your window, "You're just a bike!"
I don't understand what you mean by that? Did you think my life is worth less than yours because you're in a car? Do you think my choice to be healthy and environmentally friendly today is a lesser choice than your decision to drive a car? Do you think you can bully me because you're in a vehicle that weighs 100 times more than mine?
I am a motorist, a motorcyclist, a cyclist and a pedestrian. I know how to share the road. Everything I needed to learn was from kindergarten, right? Maybe you can learn to share, too!
I am thankful that Richmond has improved many roads for cyclists, and I hope our city will continue to organize bike tours. I also want to thank the friendly and helpful volunteers who offered information and insight to our biking community.
I also hope we will have some more community events to help educate our drivers to be more aware of what sharing the road means.
Emmy Richmond
